1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an entrainment system for mixing combustion gases and non-combustion gases in vortex burning gas turbine engines.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Gas turbines include an air compressor section, a burner section and a turbine section. The compressed air from the air compressor is split with a part used for combustion of the fuel and a part used to cool the combustion products down to a temperature compatible with the materials of construction of the turbine section. Insufficient mixing of the combustion products and the cooling air results in unfavorable temperature gradients reaching the turbine section causing thermal stresses, inefficiencies, operability problems and/or reliability issues.
Developments in gas turbines have led to vortex burning combustion chambers and vortex burning inter-turbine burners. Vortex burning devices may offer increased power, increased efficiency, decreased emissions and/or decreased weight by using compact and relatively short designs. However, these short designs may not allow sufficient mixing of the combustion products and the cooling air to result in efficient and reliable turbine operation. Known mixing systems employ a primarily axial orientation for the dilution air resulting a less than optimal mixing since the mixing length is based on the short width of the burner.
There is a need for an apparatus with a longer flow path to increase mixing of the combustion products and the cooling air without significantly increasing a mass or a size of the gas turbine.
There is a need and a desire for an apparatus resulting in a more uniform temperature profile of the gases supplied to the turbine section to increase efficiency and reliability.